Hoisting-crane.



No. emma. Patented my .9, |9ol. J.' MACBETH. Holsma cRANE.v

' (Application ledJuly 21, 1900.) 4 (N0 Modem 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

772/1521655 es m @Mlgvzerzw' c?? C? Z066 Ey WMM F 'F @Sgh/VK; mt/LA lvwaejq Nn. 678,I88. Ptented July 9, |901.

J. MACBETH. K HOISTING CRANE.

. (Application led July 21, 1900.; Y (No Model.) 3 Sheets-sheet 2.

m: Norms rzns ou, moro-urne.. wAsHmnwN u c no. s7a,|sa. Patented my s,|901.

J. MAcBETH.

HUISTING CRANE. (Application md .my 21, 1.900.) (No Model.) 3Sheets-Sheet 3.

.tion in line 2 2, Fig. 3.

rricfn.

i ATENT JAMES MAOBETH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

HOISTING-CRANE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,188, dated July 9,1901.

Application filed July 21, 1900. Serial No. 24,410. (No model.)

T0 all whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES MAOBETH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erieand State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Hoisting-Oranes, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of cranes in which the jib or boomcan be swung or partly rotated about a mast or pillar and in which themovement is effected by a power mechanism.

The object of my invention is to provide a power mechanism for swingingthe jib or boom which is simple, compact, and efficient and whichaffords a comparatively large range of rotary movement.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of three sheets, Figure l is anelevation of my improved crane. Fig. 2 is a vertical sec- Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section in line 3 3, Fig. l. Fig. 4: is atop plan view of thejib or boom and the hoisting mechanism mounted thereon. Fig. 5 is avertical section, on an enlarged scale, inline 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is avertical crosssection, on an enlarged scale, of the rack-bar and guidein line 6 6, Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a detached sectional View of the four-waycock which controls the admission of the actuating fluid to the cylin- Ader of the hoisting mechanism. Fig. 8 is a top plan View illustrating amodied construction of the boom-rotating mechanism.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures. -1

A represents the mast or pillar, which in the embodiment of theinvention illustrated in the drawings is a stationary structure and isfirmly anchored in the ground by a suitable foundation-frame A. erablycomposed ofa lower portion a, of wood,

. and a tubular upper portion d', made of plate iron or steel.

B is a fixed platform which surrounds the mast abouton a level with thesurface ofthe ground and which is constructed of timbers or othersuitable material.

C represents a rotary platform or turn-table which surrounds the base ofthe mast and which is rotatably mounted upon the stationary platform B.A convenient way of supporting the rotary platform is by flanged roll-This mast is preff ers OQ which run upon a circular track c on thestationary platform and upon which the rotary platform runs by acircular track c', secured to the under side of the rotary platform. Therollers O are mounted in a circular frame c2.

D 'represents the boom or j ib, which is mounted in an inclined positionon the top of the lmast A. E represents the cylinder of the hoistingmechanism, which is mounted upon the lower portion of the boom on oneside of the mast. This cylinder is provided with a piston e and apiston-rod c', which latter is connected by a pulley c2 with the hoisting-cable e3. The latter is secured to an eye c4 at the upper end of theboom and runs downwardly from this eye t0 the pulley e2 and thenceupwardly and over a pulley c5 at the head of the boom. The piston isvactuated by any suitable fluid under pressure, compressed air bein gpreferred. Any other style of hoisting mechanism may, however, bemounted on the boom, if preferred.

,The boom is preferably composed of two side bars or beams cl of Ishape, which are connected by suitable cross-pieces and stidened bytruss-rods d.

F is a head which is secured to the boom, at or near the middle thereof,by atransverse pinf orother suitable means 'and by which the boom turnsupon the mast. This head is provided on its under side with adownwardlyprojecting journal fl, which enters a socket g in a cap-pieceG, secured to the top of the mast. The head F and the cap-piece G areprovided with overlapping marginal iianges, forming a channel whichcontains antifriction-balls g,' by which the head F is supported on thecap-piece G.

The boom is rigidly secured by any suitable means to the rotary platformC, so as to turn therewith, preferably by crossed braces h h',connecting the upper and lower ends of the boom, respectively, with-theplatform.

The mechanism by which the rotary platform and the boom carried therebyare rotated or swungabout the mastorpillarisconstructed as follows: I isa circular gear-rim which is secured around the mast at a short distanceabove the rotary platform O. This gear-rim is arranged concentric withthe vertical pivot line or axis about which the boom and its IOO rotaryplatform turn or swing. K is the actuating-cylinder, which Vis securedhorizontally and tangentially to the rotary platform C and provided witha piston Zand a piston-rod Z. The latter projects through a stuffing-boxat the inner end of the cylindernthat is to say, the'end of the cylinderwhich is nearest the mast-and is secured to a rack-bar L, which isarranged parallel with the piston-rod between the cylinder and the mast.M is a horizontal gear-wheel which is arranged near the inner end of thecylinder and which is interposed between the rack-bar L and the gear-rimI, so as to mesh with both. This gear-wheel turns on a vertical arbor m,which projects upwardly from the movable platform C,to which it issecured, as shown in Fig. 5. NN' represent horizontal guides in whichthe rack-bar is guided on both sides of the gear-wheel M.

The piston Z in the cylinder K is actuated by any suitable iiuid underpressure, preferably compressed air.

O represents the supply-pipe for the actuating fiuid, which is supportedon the mast and which terminates in a branch O', leading to the cylinderE of the hoisting mechanism, and a branch O2, leading to the cylinder Kof the boom-turning mechanism. The branch O' is provided with a four-waycock P, which controls the admission of iiuid to and the exhaust fromthe pipespp, leading to opposite ends of the hoisting-cylinder E. Thebrauch O2 is provided with a similar four-way cock P', which controlsthe pipes p2 p3, leading to opposite ends ot' the boom-turning cylinderK.

Upon driving the piston Z forwardly in the cylinder K, as indicated bythe arrow l in Fig. 3, the rack-bar is moved forwardly and the gearwheelM is turned forwardly in the direction of the arrow 2 and rolls on thestationary gear-rim, thereby turning the rotary platform (Jin thedirection of the arrow 3 and swinging the boom in that direction. As thecylinder is secured to the rotary platform, it moves in the samedirection. Upon reversing the movement of the piston these parts aremoved in the opposite direction.

Myimproved boom-turning mechanism en ables the rotary platform and theboom carried thereby to be swung through nearly a complete revolution.This renders this apparatus particularly desirable for use inrailroad-yards, where a considerable lateral range of movement of theboom is required for carrying loads over several tracks.

Q represents horizontal rollers which are mounted in the openings Q ofthe platform through which the mast projects. These rollers are arrangedon that side of the platform over which the load is suspended and bearagainst the mast, thereby centering the platform on the mast andresisting any tendency of the load to displace the platform.

In the modified construction of the boomturning mechanism (representedin Fig. 8) the intermediate gear-wheel M is omitted and the rack-bar Lmeshes directly with the stationary gear-rim I. This modifiedconstruction is less desirable, for the reason that it does not furnishthe leverage which is furnished in the first-described construction bylocating the axial line of the cylinder at a considerable distanceoutwardly from the gear-rim, which is rendered possible by theintermediate gear-wheel M. The leverage so afforded by thefirst-described construction enables the boom to be swung with asmallerpressure o f fluid.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means covered by any one of the followingclaims be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention-` 1. The combination of a rotatable platform; a fluid-pressurecylinder and piston arranged with reference to said platform in a mannersuch as to produce the rotation of the latter upon the movement of thepiston in its cylinder; a stationary boom-support coperating with saidcylinder and piston to produce such rotation; an inclined boom supportedintermediately of its extremities upon said support and having arotatable movement thereon; means for securing said boom in a positionstationary relative to said platform, whereby said platform and boomwill ha ve a corresponding movement; and means forsupplying pressure tothe cylinder.

2. The combination of a rotatable platform; a stationary boom-support; aHuid-pressure cylinder and piston coperating therewith,

' said cylinder and piston being arranged with reference to saidplatform in a manner such as to produce the rotation of the latter uponthe movement of the piston in its cylinder; means for supplying pressureto the cylinder; and an inclined boom supported intermediately of itsextremities upon said support, said boom having a positive connectionwith the platform to cause a simultaneous rotary movement therewith,said boom being held against a longitudinal movement.

Witness my hand this 18th day of July,

JAMES MACBETH.

Vitnesses:

THEO. L. Porr,

CLAUDIA M. BENTLEY.

IIO

